Crisp
Kayako
| Feature | Crisp | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $25/mo | From $30/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Best For | startups, small-businesses, saas-companies, e-commerce | ecommerce, saas-companies, support-teams, mid-size-companies |
| Founded | 2015 | 2001 |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chatbot | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shared Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Knowledge Base | ✓ | ✗ |
| Campaigns | ✓ | ✗ |
| Status Page | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ticketing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Customer Journey | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Service | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collaboration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sla Management | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Crisp Pros
- Very generous free tier (2 seats included)
- Per-workspace pricing instead of per-seat
- Built-in chatbot builder with no-code
- Clean and modern interface
✗ Crisp Cons
- Limited advanced automation compared to Intercom
- Chatbot AI less sophisticated than competitors
- Fewer integrations than larger platforms
✓ Kayako Pros
- Unified customer view
- Good live chat
- Journey tracking
- Multichannel
✗ Kayako Cons
- Dated interface
- Limited integrations
- Slow development pace
The Verdict
Crisp is built for startups and small businesses, with a focus on live-chat and chatbot. Kayako targets ecommerce and saas companies and leads with live-chat and ticketing.
On pricing, Crisp is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $25/mo compared to $30/mo for Kayako. That $5/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Crisp has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Kayako requires a paid subscription from day one.
Crisp edges out on user ratings (4.4 vs 3.9). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Crisp offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Kayako takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for saas companies — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Crisp has a slight overall edge — but if unified customer view matters most to you, Kayako may still be the right call.